Mary E. Wilkins-Freeman's The Revolt Of Mother

In “The Revolt of ‘Mother’” by Mary E. Wilkins-Freeman, Sarah Penn is a hardworking housewife who has had great regard for her husband and his wishes throughout there forty year married. Until one morning Sarah, who is referred to in the story as Mother, goes against her husband’s ambitions in hopes of having a better live. Taking place in the late 1800’s in rural America, the “Revolt” is a typical story of a woman’s rule as a wife and mother. Her husband Adoniram, who is referred to as Father, makes all the decisions for the family and does not wish for Mother to interfere with his decisions throughout the narration.
Initially, Mother starts by questioning Father about why and for what the men in the field are digging on there property? He simply ignores his wives questions and goes about harnessing his mare. Mother does not stop asking and stresses, “Look here, father, I want to know what them men are diggin’ over in the field for, an’ I’m goin’ to know.” (229) Father response by saying, “I wish you’d
go into the house, mother, an’ tend to your own affairs.” (229) He is annoyed by her questions and keeps tending to his choirs wishing she would leave him be. Mother does not give up on the conversation and knowing she will not leave him alone, he simply says, “the men are digging a cellar for a new barn,” (229) and goes back to work. Mother is shocked by this and still quiz’s him “A barn? You ain’t goin’ to build a barn over there where we was goin’ to have a house, father?” (230) Father says nothing. The fact that he says nothing establishes that he does not respect his wife’s thoughts and feels her opinions are invalid.
Then Mother goes back into her house where she tells her daughter Nanny what her Father was building. After interrogating her son Sammy, she becomes aware that this plan for a new barn was set three months ago and that Father will be buying four new cows to reside there. Sammy then goes off the school. Mother is left with her daughter and the thoughts of the new barn. She begins to fix dinner while speaking with Nanny about what she desired the old house to be. Even though Mother is upset about her house conditions she tries not to complain. When Nanny ask “don’t you think it’s too bad father’s going to build that new barn, much as we need a decent house to live in?” (231) Mother answers, “You ain’t found out yet we’re women folks, Nanny Penn.” (231) She was referring to the old rule that the men are the head of household and women are there merely to cook, clean, and bare children. Nanny had not yet understood this age old relationship between men and women - where men ruled.
Later Father and Sammy arrived home for dinner.
Father said grace and the family began to eat hastily. After dinner Sammy quickly ran off to school before his father could tell him to stay and help with choirs. Nanny left also to do some errands in town. Right before Father left to go back to work, Mother called after him saying she wanted him to sit down so she could see him for a moment. Her husband ever dreading this conversation reluctantly sat down. She began her appeal about the new barn verses a new house. Saying that he promised forty years ago to build her a better house right where the new barn is being built, “Father, I want to know if you think it’s right. You’re lodgin’ your dumb beasts better than you are your own flesh an’ blood.” (233) He simply replies “I ain’t got nothin’ to say.” (231) Her pleas go unnoticed and the barn continues to be built. This married is very one sided, where Father’s decisions are final and forced upon his
family.
Next, Father’s brother in law writes, that he found a horse that Father would be interested in buying. Father then leaves for a few days to take a look at this horse. Mother believes this is some sort of providence and begins packing up her old house. She tells the workers not to put the hay in the new barn but orders it to go in the old barn. With the help of her children she moves everything from the old house into the new barn. Word spread quickly around town about what she had done. Even the minister came over to try a talk some sense in her. In those days a woman dare not defy her husband but Mother felt what she did was right. After all she never once complained after forty years of married; feeling she was due to get what she deserved and what her husband had promised. A few days later Father comes home and walks right to the old house. He looks very puzzled over the fact that a cow was now residing in the old house and his family was not living there anymore. He then walks over to the new barn and sees Mother and their two children. Mother makes the statement that this is where they are going to live now and he needed to get use to it. He said nothing over dinner but kept staring around there new house and at Mother. She mentioned that he needed to make windows and a new front entrance for this house but he still is in shock and says nothing. After dinner she found him weeping outside and finally speaks about there new residences, “Why mother,” he said, hoarsely, “I had no idea you was so set on’t as all this comes to.” (239) His lack of understanding his wife’s wishes goes ignored until she makes the choice for him and for their family.
To conclude, Mother has no choice but to resist her husband, even though she reasons with him on why they need a new house her pleas are ignored. She was very brave to go for what she wanted and did not have any regrets about it. I believe that if she didn’t move without his permission she would have been in that raggedy old house till her death. The battle of the sexes has been very one sided towards males throughout history but in this narration Mother is the one who triumphs.